Back in good old day (around 1997~1998), when I am still using raw HTML code to create website, I used to use CGI (Common Gateway Interface) to build a web contact form.
Slightly after that, I started with ASP (Microsoft Active Server Page), and then PHP.
Nowadays, despite you are using WordPress to built a website, or other web building method, you actually have plenty of choices to create a web contact form, and yet, without any coding skill!
So we've got a problem
Your boss ask you to create a web contact form, which fulfill the below requirement
- Boss: Either you know programming or not, it is not my problem, just do it
- Capture the contact form’s content, and send to designate email
- Capture the contact form’s content, and store it somewhere, just in case email failed to triggered or lost it somewhere else (it happen!)
- In 5 minutes
Don’t panic, here is how we do it.
Let's get it done
Ok, let’s make it simpler, we going to capture the following data on contact form
Name | Type | Mandatory | Length | Remarks |
Name | Text | Yes | 255 | |
Email | Text | Yes | 255 | |
Phone | Text | Yes | 10 | The length is based your own local phone common phone length |
Title | Text | Yes | 25 | |
Remarks | Long Text | No | Unlimited |
The Solutions
Contact Form 7
If your website is using WordPress, Contact Form 7 will be your best bet!
- Free
- Minimal HTML knowledge required
Google Forms
Google Forms is 1 of the popular choice, due to it simplicity
- Free
- UI too simple
SeaTable
SeaTable is an alternative of Google Forms, better, and more functionalities
- Free plan available
- Able to create complex form
Airtable
Airtable is an alternative of Google Forms and SeaTable, better, and more functionalities
- Free plan available
- Able to create complex form
JotForm
JotForm is yet another alternative for complex form. Unlike SeaTable / AirTable, it focus on form workflow
- Free plan available
- Focus on workflow
NocoDB
NocoDB is yet another alternative for SeaTable / AirTable, with limited functionalities as of now, but good enough for normal usage
- Open Source
- Deploy on your own infrastructure
- Limited functionalities, need to study if it suite your need
APITable
APITable is yet another alternative for SeaTable / AirTable, with a lot of functionalities, and advanced permission control
- Open Source
- Deploy on your own infrastructure, or using APITable cloud service
